Region Archives: Canada West

Spotting dead trees that can fuel fires is challenging for forestry crews. Not so for drones, which can survey thousands of acres in a single afternoon… Forest managers are increasingly turning to them to pick out potential hotspots otherwise hidden in plain sight in a bid to protect critical infrastructure. …“Emergency preparedness and management and response are big, obvious fits right out of the gate,” said Bill Lakeland, co-founder and chief executive officer of Spexi, a drone imaging company based in British Columbia… Spexi — which has contracted with government and emergency management agencies across Canada — relies on a network of freelance pilots, who sign up for paid “missions” and agree to download proprietary software that allows the company to take control of their drones. …Researchers at BCIT and Northeastern University in Vancouver trained a computer vision algorithm on Spexi’s data to identify extreme fire risks from fuel loads hidden in vulnerable forests…

The Barkley Community Forest Corporation is chopping its annual cut by more than half and hopes to branch out by planting roots for more recreational opportunities. The community forest was launched in 2014 in partnership between the District of Ucluelet and Toquaht First Nation and has since generated about $3 million in shared profits for the two parties. The Corporation hosted open houses in Ucluelet and Macoah last month to bring both communities up to speed on a new forest management plan that reduces the annual allowable cut from 27,000 cubic metres to 12,600. “That cut was based on the inventory data that was passed on from the previous major licensee and operability and harvesting assumptions that were maybe a little optimistic,” the corporation’s general manager Erik Holbek told the Westerly News during the Ucluelet open house on Oct. 24.

Chris Duncan

Chris Duncan is a partner and national leader of forestry and forest products at MNP in Duncan, B.C. Chris, 38, has risen to become the national leader of the forestry and forest products practice at MNP, where he leads a team serving over 1,700 forestry clients across Canada. Growing up in a family-run logging business on Vancouver Island, Chris’s connection to the industry runs deep. “I remember taking days off school to watch my dad work as a logging contractor,” he says. “When I started with MNP, I naturally gravitated toward our forestry clients.” Over his 14-year career at MNP, Chris has earned a reputation for being a “dirty boots accountant,” regularly visiting client sites to offer hands-on business advice. His work spans accounting, tax services, and strategic consulting, and his influence extends to contractors, tenure holders, and Indigenous organizations, helping the industry adapt to evolving economic and environmental challenges.

Matthew Mitchell

Researchers at the University of B.C. say there’s a nature-based way to protect cities from floods, like the 2021 catastrophic flooding in B.C. or more recently the deadly floods that wiped out towns in Spain. A UBC study says preserving just five per cent of watersheds and two per cent of Canada’s land could shield more than half of urban floodplains, saving lives, crops and infrastructure. Matthew Mitchell, the study author who is a UBC forestry expert, says this is the first research of its kind in Canada to explore how ecosystems function as natural flood buffers.Key ecosystems safeguard 54 per cent of built-up areas and 74 per cent of cropland in floodplains, according to the study. When these areas are preserved, they absorb water, slow run-off and reduce the strain on flood defences,” said Mitchell.

Mission’s forestry director says the city’s tree farm license is “well positioned” with potential increased tariffs looming. “We don’t have a huge cut,” forestry director Chris Gruenwald said. “It’s big for us but in the grand scheme of things, it’s not huge. So I’m confident we can weather the storm.” However, Gruenwald says there are a number of challenges on the horizon. …Mission forestry doesn’t sell timber directly to buyers in the United States but Gruenwald says a “big chunk” of the product goes south of the border. It’s sold to local buyers who then ship the timber. “It’s another challenge for us. It seems there’s lots of negativity but at the end of the day, we have a very secure, high-quality supply of timber within our tree farm license and that’s not going to change. So I think we just have to ride some of this out and see where it goes,” he said. 

In this months newsletter, headlines include:

• Thank you to Minister Ravi Parmar, the new Minister of Forests, for joining us in Victoria to meet our team and learn more about community forestry. We look forward to working together to support resilient communities and forests across BC.
• The BCCFA Board & Staff gathered for our annual in-person meeting in Victoria in November. Sessions included meetings with staff from the Ministry of Forests Tenures Branch, Office of the Chief Forester, BC Wildfire Service, Timber Pricing Branch, Forest Landscape Planning Branch, and more.

A new report on the destructive and costly 2023 Central Okanagan wildfires is detailing how flames spread in communities and why some homes were more likely to catch fire while others were spared. The report, titled A wildland-urban post-fire case study: The Grouse Complex, focuses on measures residents can take to reduce the likelihood of their homes catching fire — measures promoted by FireSmart. …The Grouse Complex wildfires began in August 2023 after a period of drought… they burned 15,076 hectares, led to more than 30,000 people having to flee their homes and damaged or destroyed 303 structures. …The report found the homes that were damaged mainly featured coniferous trees like cedars and junipers within 10 metres of the structure, were located on steep slopes, had combustible siding and decks and plenty of easily ignitable material quite close to the home, like firewood, lumber and vehicles. The homes that weren’t damaged lacked those characteristics. 

The live Christmas tree industry is experiencing a resurgence, but B.C. farmers are finding it hard to meet rising customer demand. In the last six years—more B.C. consumers have looked to purchase a live Christmas tree says BC Christmas Tree Association president Paul Huesken. The first reason is the experiential part of going out and cutting down a tree. …The second factor is consumers becoming more conscientious about their carbon footprints. …2024 has been one of the best growing seasons in the last decade due to summer rain. …Nevertheless, rising demand and a decline in farms due to land costs and succession challenges has created a significant shortage of trees in B.C. …Two of the most significant challenges facing businesses are the cost of land and the six to 10 years of intensive labour required to grow a Christmas tree … forcing BC to source roughly 400,000 trees annually from outside the province.

NELSON, BC — More than 100 Kimberley residents attended a meeting hosted by Wildsight to learn about the impact of current and planned logging on wildlife and the ecosystem in the St. Mary’s River Valley. According to Wildsight, 15 square kilometres of privately owned, valley bottom forests have been clearcut in the area over the past 10 years. This includes a 2.3-square-kilometre section in the valley done by Canfor, with more anticipated. BC Timber Sales also has proposed cut blocks in this area. …“Logging at that scale would significantly impact all who use this landscape—people and wildlife alike. …Canfor and BCTS are both expected to release proposals for public comment. Wildsight encourages concerned residents to contact Premier David Eby to encourage legislation changes to protect this area.

Executive Director’s Message: October was a significant month for Woodlots BC, marked by key accomplishments in strategic planning, conference organization, and internal organizational changes. Now that the restructuring has settled down the Board of Directors for Woodlots BC have started to meet on a quarterly basis. Most of the changes and restructuring have been completed. Strategic Plan: The organization started a Strategic Review of the Woodlots BC by meeting for two days before the Conference in Quesnel. This process was facilitated by Tom Lewis. We are currently creating 4 objectives that we will focus on over the next while in order to advocate for the Woodlot Licence program. Click the Read More below to see the full newsletter with Conference Coverage, Minister’s Award Recipient, Executive Director’s Report, Commercial Thinning and Moose, Woodlots BC Bursary Recipient, New Board Members, Four Steps to Burning, and CBST Guidelines.

Since starting at the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) this past September, I’ve continued to be impressed by our employees, board of directors, government funders, and most importantly, the folks whose projects leverage FESBC’s investments across our province of British Columbia. …we would like to recognize Minister Ravi Parmar for the important role he has been entrusted with as the Minister of Forests. We look forward to working in collaboration with him, his cabinet colleagues to continue to invest in B.C.’s forests. …Based on the recent provincial election campaign, one of the patches of common ground for British Columbians is the desire to invest in the long-term health and resilience of our forests. …former Premier John Horgan was a man who could find common ground with almost anyone. Through humour, humility, vulnerability, Star Trek quotes, but mostly humour, he connected with people across the province and across party lines.

A northwestern B.C. First Nation wants to create a protected area to block a natural gas pipeline from crossing its territory. The proposal by the Gitanyow Nation comes after the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT) pipeline’s environment assessment certificate expired on Nov. 25. On Nov. 19, the proponents, a partnership of the Ksi Lisims government and Western LNG, applied to have the project designated “substantially started,” which would extend the certificate permanently. …The pipeline environmental certificate was extended for five years in 2019. The Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs, the Kispiox Band and environmental groups such as the Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition characterize the original assessment as outdated and inaccurate. The Gitanyow were among the First Nations signatories to financial benefits payments when the pipeline was first approved in 2014, but they now cite accelerating climate change and Indigenous reconciliation as conditions that have changed dramatically since the original environmental assessment was conducted.

The problem isn’t a lack of trees — B.C. has billions of them. The problem is that many of B.C.’s forests are too young and feeble to log. Over 80 per cent of the province’s replanted trees are less than 40 years old — and most require around 80 to 120 years to be considered mature. They’ve also grown back even-aged and dense, often creating dark, dead zones for animals and other plants… Cutting down some trees now creates an immediate wood supply for a struggling forest industry, and it can reduce competition among the trees that remain, helping them grow bigger, more valuable wood for later… Thinning often requires weighing trade-offs, and a region-specific knowledge of how forests might react.

The RDCK will send a letter to the Ministry of Forests in support of the Forestry Works for BC Campaign, and of value-added and community-focused forestry. Ken Kalesnikoff, president and CEO of Kalesnikoff Lumber, made a presentation to the board in August regarding the Forestry Works for BC initiative, which seeks to raise awareness about forestry’s role in the well-being of rural and urban communities. Dr. Rachel Holt, an independent ecologist, sent a letter to the board, dated October 15. It asked the board to write a letter in support of a more diversified future. The board discussed her letter and settled on including her points on value-added and community-focused forestry. End of Story

The largest remaining tract of old-growth and mature Douglas-fir forest on the Saanich Peninsula is in the beautiful LAU,WELNEW/John Dean Provincial Park in North Saanich. It sits next to six hectares of land which is now designated as a protected extension of the park. On Nov. 26, BC Parks Foundation announced the purchase of three parcels of land that run along the park’s edge which will now protect one of the last stands of old-growth Douglas fir and Garry oak on the Saanich Peninsula. The property was listed for sale in November 2023. … “Thankfully the foundation was able to raise money to buy the land before anybody else did,” said Maureen Dale, president of the Friends of John Dean Park Society. …Aside from its rich biodiversity, the area also holds significant cultural importance to local First Nations, having played a central role in their people’s stories.

A 6 hectare parcel of land containing old-growth forest directly adjacent to ȽÁU,WELNEW / John Dean Park has been permanently protected by BC Parks Foundation. This safeguards one of the last remaining stands of old-growth Douglas fir and Garry oak on the Saanich Peninsula… In 1895, John Dean, a passionate naturalist, former mayor of Rossland, and dedicated civic activist, purchased 100 acres on ȽÁU,WELNEW. Inspired by the W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples’ stewardship, he donated 80 acres to the Province in 1921 to be used as parkland, leaving a legacy for all to enjoy… The foundation will work with First Nations, BC Parks and Friends of John Dean Park Society to discuss future management of the newly protected area. In the meantime, it will remain closed.

The hazelnut tree has long been a part of the landscape in parts of British Columbia. A 19th-century settler gave the village of Hazelton in northern B.C.’s Skeena region its name because of the abundance of hazelnuts in the area.  A new study indicates Indigenous peoples in B.C. had been cultivating the beaked hazelnut for thousands of years, which researchers say challenges the notion that pre-colonial Indigenous people in northwestern B.C. were only hunter-gatherers.  The findings indicate hazelnuts had been transplanted and cultivated for at least 7,000 years by Gitxsan, Tsimshian, and Nisga’a peoples. The research emphasizes Indigenous peoples’ contributions to the creation and maintenance of the region’s ecosystems and “cuts through assumptions of B.C. and the Northwest Coast being wild and completely untouched.”

The latest phase of the $18 million Stanley Park logging operation lifted-off Nov. 19. Two helicopters from Black Tusk Helicopter Inc. are using the Prospect Point Picnic Area as a temporary landing and refuelling site. Their job is to pick-up logs felled on the cliffs above the Stanley Park Seawall, between Third Beach and Prospect Point… The Park Board said the logging is necessary due to the Hemlock looper moth infestation and wildfire fears. Contractor B.A. Blackwell and Associates estimated the pest affected 160,000 trees in the park. In the Stanley Park Preservation Society’s unsuccessful court bid to halt the logging, a lawyer for city hall said another 30 hectares will be logged this fall and winter. Watch a YouTube video here

VICTORIA — Premier David Eby earned accolades two years ago when he concluded a $350 million deal to settle litigation over treaty rights with the Blueberry River First Nations in northeastern BC. …Plus, there were restrictions on future development, a joint approval process, commitments to wildlife co-management, and opportunities for Blueberry River to secure a share of future timber and natural gas revenues …“History-making” was the watch word of the day. Industry, business and community leaders all praised the agreement as a turn-the-page moment in Crown-Indigenous relations. …Unfortunately, the province’s relationship with Blueberry River has since unravelled, spawning another round of litigation. …The first signs of trouble emerged in the fall of 2023. Two other Treaty 8 nations challenged the agreement, saying it infringed on their rights and… some Blueberry River members challenged the plan in court. Then in September, Gauthier and three other councillors combined to oust Desjarlais as chief.

Jordon Gabriel is an expert in forest management and a community-focused Forestry Technician with Líl̓wat Forestry Ventures Ltd. (LFV). But those are not his only titles; he is a member of Líl̓wat Nation, a residential school Survivor, a father, a grandfather, and a British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) alumnus. When Jordon started working in forestry, he worked on a team responsible for block and road layouts for forestry companies. “In those days, things were different—the Nation wasn’t consulted,” Jordon says. “We were told we were going to do our work without having a say.” As a result, the forestry work was done in areas where the Líl̓wat Nation gathered herbs, collected mushrooms, and other cultural activities. …Throughout his career, Jordon has been seeking to blend his technical forestry expertise with the rich cultural knowledge of the Líl̓wat Nation. His dedication to promoting the Líl̓wat Nation culture is reflected throughout his work.

In order to understand what has led up to the inevitable duties that will probably be coming from the United States I suggest… Ben Parfitt provides critical information that helps under this rather complex agreement. In the fall of 2006, the Canadian and U.S. governments ended a prolonged trade dispute by signing the Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA), a deal they said would bring greater certainty to the cross-border lumber trade. …Under the new deal, $4 billion — 80 per cent — of the duties collected by the U.S. on Canadian lumber shipments were returned to Canada. The federal government then reimbursed individual Canadian forest companies based on the duties they had paid,” Parfitt wrote. …In conclusion the Parfitt described how the SLA has served to stimulate B.C. forest company investment in the U.S. at the expense of the province’s forest industry workers and rural resource communities.

For nearly 80 years, British Columbians have been told that the province’s forests are managed for a multitude of values and that nature’s bounty will always be there. Logging and replanting, governments have said, will produce forests that work for industry and provide environmental diversity and opportunities for recreation. But people choosing to spend time in the province’s vast network of tree plantations say that’s not true. Much of B.C.’s once richly diverse natural forests has disappeared under the “multiple use” regime advanced by the timber industry and overseen by the Ministry of Forests, which together for decades have propagated the idea that logging one valley after the next will have negligible impacts on plant and animal life. …To not make the leap to such a new regime is to stay the course with a system that has for decades delivered not multiple uses, but multiple and still far from over abuses.

Passionate about improving ecosystems and benefiting your local community? The CNC Research Forest Society (CNCRFS) is looking for environmentally focused projects to support through its legacy fund. The CNC Research Forest Society’s legacy grant funding comes from the society’s activities in its research forest. These funds are separate from CNC’s operating budget. The CNCRFS is increasing its grant funding for 2025 to make a greater impact in the region. There is now up to $100,000 available for ecosystem restoration projects and up to $60,000 for projects with a social and environmental benefit for communities. People or organizations with an existing project or a great project idea are encouraged to apply for the legacy fund grant. Projects must serve one or more of the following purposes:

• ecosystem restoration
• environmental rehabilitation
• environmental impact reduction, renewable natural resource education and/or outreach programs
• sustainable, low-impact recreation improvement
• social and environmental commitment to local communities

On a wintry morning in Behchokǫ̀, a community roughly 100 kilometres northwest of Yellowknife on the shore of Great Slave Lake, leaders of more than 20 Indigenous governments and organizations from across the Northwest Territories gathered. They were joined by representatives of Crown governments, philanthropists and community members. …Alongside chiefs, government representatives and Indigenous leaders, community members of all ages celebrated the signing of the conservation agreement. The agreement, known as NWT: Our Land for the Future, provides $375 million to support Indigenous-led conservation and stewardship activities, including the establishment of new protected and conserved areas, Guardian programs, ecotourism, traditional economic activities and climate research, among others. The deal combines $300 million from the federal government with $75 million from private donors, using a funding model inspired by practices employed by bankers and Wall Street executives — as far from conservation efforts as they may seem.

Two Northwest Territories students have become the first recipients of a new memorial scholarship. The Adam Yeadon Memorial Scholarship is given out to students who are pursuing a greater education in the forestry industry, or in wildfire management. This Scholarship was first established in 2023 to commemorate the memory of Adam Yeadon, who lost his life while fighting against last year’s wildfires. The two recipients are Alfred “AJ” Lawrence, and Mackenzie McDonald. They will each be receiving $5,000 to support their studies in their chosen forestry fields. Lawrence was raised in Yellowknife and graduated from Sir John Franklin High School. He is currently studying forestry at Vancouver Island University. …McDonald is studying at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, and returns to the North every summer to help fight wildfires. 

See the government press release here.

The Province has confirmed an additional case of chronic wasting disease in British Columbia, found in a white-tailed deer near Cranbrook. Chronic wasting disease is an infectious and fatal disease affecting species in the cervid family, including deer, elk, moose and caribou. To date, three cases of the disease have been identified in deer populations in the Kootenay region. The first two cases in B.C. were confirmed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in February 2024. One was a male mule deer harvested by a hunter, and the other was a female white-tailed deer killed in a road accident. Both were collected in Cranbrook as part of B.C.’s ongoing chronic wasting disease surveillance efforts. The latest case was confirmed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on November 20, 2024. The sample was collected from a white-tailed deer harvested in October 2024. This case is within two kilometres of the other case found in a white-tailed deer .

A leading environmental advocate praises some of the cabinet choices of David Eby, but also expresses frustration about… the appointment of Adrian Dix to the newly created Ministry of Energy and Climate Readiness. …Torrance Coste with the Wilderness Committee… is certain the themes of the ministry will compete against each other. …Coste says it is not clear that Premier Eby truly understands the gravity of the climate and biodiversity crises. Three rookie MLAs will head three other environment-related ministries: Tamara Davidson (Environment and Parks), Randene Neill (Water, Land and Resource Stewardship) and Christine Boyle (Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation). …”WLRS and even the Premier’s Office can say all the noble things they want about the importance of old-growth forests, but as long as the ministry’s overarching goal is facilitating logging and they have the final say within government… the NDP’s stated commitments around old-growth and biodiversity will not be delivered”.

VERNON, BC — Tolko Industries continues to dispute a $75,000 fine after a logging road it built is claimed to have caused a landslide. In question is a logging road constructed by Tolko Industries in 2011. It’s alleged the road ultimately led to a landslide in May 2017 resulting in the administrative fine. Following the issuance of the fine in 2022, Tolko launched an appeal. Most recently, legal wrangling between Tolko and the province is centring around a variety of documents, including slide inspections. The BC Forest Appeals Commission allowed Tolko to withdraw its request for additional documents and dismiss both the province’s request for more documents and payment for narrowing the appeal from Tolko. Certain aspects of the appeal are going forward with Tolko claiming the fine is excessive. …The commission’s decision stated “the landslide is said to have resulted in damage to crown timber, the ecosystem, fish, and fish habitat.”

Additional coverage in Blackpress, by Brendan Shykora: B.C. forestry company facing $75K fine for causing landslide

The owner of Canada’s largest forestry company has moved to take control of a massive pulp and paper empire. Jackson Wijaya currently owns dozens of pulp and paper mills across Canada, the U.S., Brazil and Europe under the Domtar Group — formally known as Paper Excellence. Wijaya’s intention to take direct control over Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), an Indonesian and Chinese-based multinational currently owned by his father. For years, Domtar and APP have denied any relationship with one another. Wijaya’s now open intention to control the two companies has raised questions among environmental watchdogs that have long claimed APP has exerted hidden control over Canadian forestry assets. …Jennifer Johnson, a Domtar spokesperson said Wijaya’s father had appointed him to be the sole beneficiary of APP as part of his “succession planning.” …“Mr. Wijaya will not hold any leadership position within APP, and APP and Domtar will continue to operate as distinct entities.”

Additional coverage in the Globe and Mail, by Nicolas Van Praet: Paper Excellence owner to take control of contentious Asia family company, raising environmental concerns

Canada’s largest lumber manufacturer announced a revised plan to reduce clear cutting in the West Bragg Creek and Moose Mountain areas, but opponents are still not impressed with the possibility of losing some of the popular recreation trails. West Fraser Timber had originally planned to clearcut 468 hectares near West Bragg Creek and another 412 hectares in the Moose Mountain Trail Networks. The total harvest planned for both areas west of Calgary, slated to start in October 2026, is now set for 556 hectares, marking a 37% reduction. …While the reduced clearcut is welcome news, a local group advocating for the protection of wildlife is still fighting for the project to be shut down entirely. “This needs to become a protected area,” said Lucy Curtis, vice president of Bragg Creek Wild. …The final plan will be submitted to government in spring 2026 prior to harvest operations, which are currently scheduled to begin in October 2026.

It’s easy to spot contrasts in the forest landscape around Jasper National Park. Countless coniferous trees with thick, deep green branches line roads and mountainsides in areas spared from July’s wildfire. … There are signs of new life under the thin layer of snow now on the ground, but winter’s deep freeze will soon slow down any regrowth. “The landscape, although really fragile, was greening up pretty quickly, which was kind of encouraging — a sign that there is still a seed base on the ground for things to happen,” said Marcia DeWandel, a Parks Canada vegetation restoration specialist. …Flames ignited early in the season, DeWandel said, so “we had a lot of our grasses, and our early succession and fire-adapted plants, come back right away.” …Parks Canada planted 5,000 Douglas fir seedlings in fire-damaged areas in Jasper National Park to supplement natural forest regrowth over the past two months.

…After swimming upriver to spawn, salmon in coastal British Columbia rainforests are fed upon by bears and birds and other predators who litter the forest floor with half-eaten carcasses; these fertilize Sitka spruce and Douglas fir and literally become part of the forest itself… In addition to sustaining life on Earth, these ecosystem services generate valuable goods [and] have poured tens of billions into B.C.’s economy over the past century. But those profits have come at a steep environmental cost… The most obvious solution, protecting large swaths of nature from resource-hungry humans, simply reverses the problem. …Ban logging to protect a forest? OK, who will pay next month’s rent for those loggers? Where will that money come from? And what will the rest of us use to build our houses? …To truly escape the vicious cycle, you’d have to make conservation profitable. Which brings us to a place called the Great Bear Sea.

The 2025 TREK BC GRAVEL SERIES on Vancouver Island, proudly hosted by Mosaic Forest Management announced its racing schedule today. “For 2025, we are taking things to a new level with the continuation of our great partnership with Trek Bicycles and Mosaic Forest Management.”, said race director, Jon Watkin. “With the expansion of the series to 4 epic events, we want to highlight the Island as the best gravel cycling destination in the world and give a ride experience that will create lasting fond memories.” Through a continued comprehensive partnership with Mosaic Forest Management, the series offers exclusive private gravel roads in the remote wilderness, which will feature muscle aching terrain, but also awe-inspiring views that can only be found on the West Coast of BC. …Mosaic Forest Management continues to be a foundational partner and sees the BC Gravel Series event as a great opportunity to connect with the community.

When Northern Alberta Institute of Technology instructor Rodger DeChamplain first arrived at the Kidney Lake camp as a student in the fall of 1990, it was a rustic learning environment. Students dug trenches to keep their food cool and away from critters, because of the lack of electricity at the site for refrigerators. Thanks to a significant investment from West Fraser through the Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta, those are now a thing of the past. This summer, the camp, located 50 kilometres northwest of Whitecourt, underwent significant changes. Forest Technology students arrived in September to find modular lodging units, including 14 four-room bunkhouses, three classrooms and a food storage building. …Before the rebuild, students had to live in close quarters, with up to four people per cabin. Now, students now have their own 100-square-foot room, complete with a washroom and shower. …[Dean Dr. Agatha Ojimelukewe] hopes this change will help broaden interest in the program.